


No Going Back

by evilwriter37



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Gen, Whump, aja!whump, krel!whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilwriter37/pseuds/evilwriter37
Summary: Krel is stuck in the Totality and can’t find Aja. What he does find hurts him to his core.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	No Going Back

“You were always too soft - never could stand up for yourself.”

“Papa?” Krel looked at his father with his head tilted, his eyes squinted. Why… why would his father say something like this? And… he couldn’t remember him saying something like that. He was in the Totality, and he’d been separated from Aja. Now, he was viewing a memory of his father talking to him. Supposedly. He couldn’t remember this happening. 

“You’re wretched and useless,” Fialkov said, a cruel glint in his eyes. The younger Krel that was facing this abuse crumbled, his shoulders caving in, his face falling.

“Papa, I-” Memory Krel and Real Krel said at the same time.

“No. You’re weak. You’re not fit to be king. And you never will be.”

Real Krel fell to his knees. That had hit a weak spot. Not fit to be king. He didn’t think he was, but he hadn’t told anyone that, and here his father was telling him that he wasn’t fit for the position. Krel couldn’t rule. He couldn’t be what his people needed him to be. He’d get everybody hurt and killed. 

“Papa,  _ stop _ .” Krel knew that he couldn’t hear him, but he figured that he might as well try. He was alone here. Seklos and Gaylen, where was Aja? Where was Morando? Why was he stuck in this atrocious memory?

Fialkov leaned down and got in Real Krel’s face, but there was nothing in his eyes, like he couldn’t see him. But how was he facing him and not Memory Krel?

“You’re going to destroy everyone you love.”

“Papa, stop!” Krel abruptly stood, swiped at the memory, and it began to dissolve, crash into pixels and dust. Krel was fine with that. He didn’t want this memory, didn’t want to see it. He couldn’t even remember it happening. This was so strange. He figured that he’d remember his father saying such cruel things to him. But he didn’t. He truly didn’t. 

As he came out of the memory, and the ball of light fell to the floor and broke into dust, Krel heard a deep, sadistic laugh. He whipped around, saw Morando standing there among the memories, a hand around Aja’s throat. She was struggling. It looked like she could still breathe. 

“How was that?” Morando asked. 

“What?” Krel was terrified. He had no idea what was going on anymore. 

“I figured messing with the memory would weaken you,” Morando told him. “To be told such things by your father would hit a sore spot.”

Krel clenched his jaw and bared his teeth at Morando. He was right. The “memory” had hit a sore spot for him. He wasn’t fit to be king. He was going to ruin everything. Everything already was ruined. He and Aja hadn’t found the memory about where Gaylen’s core was, and now they were here, stuck with Morando. Had he found out? Was there a way to get it out of him?

“Let go of Aja,” Krel demanded. He wouldn’t be weak, not like his “father” had told him he was. He could stand up for himself, for others. He could!

Morando’s hand tightened, and Aja choked. “You know, I don’t think I will.” He smiled, showing his fangs. 

Krel drew his serrator and rushed at Morando. The Akiridion dodged, still holding onto Aja, dragging her with him. As Morando moved out of the way, Krel’s serrator focused on Aja. He didn’t mean to, not at all, but he sliced into her side, and Aja screamed.

“No, no, no!” Krel shouted. He withdrew his serrator, flinging cyan blood through the air. Aja was gasping, her right side bleeding profusely. No. No, no!

Morando laughed, dropped Aja, and then, he vanished. Just like that. 

“Aja!” Krel ran to her, dropping his serrator like it had burned him. He felt like it had. Aja was on her back, tears in her eyes. “Aja, I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay,” she choked out. “You were… aiming for Morando.” She tried to sit up, but Krel put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

“No.” There were tears in Krel’s eyes. He felt so  _ horrible.  _ He’d just  _ stabbed  _ his  _ sister. _ “Let me take care of this.”

Aja shook her head. “We have to get out of here.” She sat up, and this time Krel couldn’t argue with her. She was right. They had to leave. The place around them was shuddering, memories falling, turning to dust. The Totality was coming apart. 

“How do we get out?” Krel asked. Mother hadn’t explained that part to them. 

“There.” Aja pointed. Two of her hands held her bleeding side, staining her fingers with blood. There was a bright light coming from the floor. If they made it there, Krel was sure that they would get out. 

Krel helped Aja to her feet. Guilt was sucking in on him, pulling him into himself, making him despise himself. Though the memory had been false, Fialkov was right. He was going to destroy everyone he loved because he was weak and a failure. He’d stabbed Aja. There was no going back from that, no way to undo it. He was unfit to be a king. He was unfit to be a brother. 

With their arms slung around each other, Krel and Aja left the Totality, and Krel felt like he’d left a piece of himself behind, like he’d broken in there. There was no going back. 

He had his sister’s blood on his hands. 


End file.
